Stranger at the Door, Family by Blood
by dream-clouds
Summary: Chapter 7 is up! Why did Pauline freeze upon seeing her ex-flame again?
1. Home from, uh, work

Disclaimer: I only own Pauline, who's an rp character.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Piper and Phoebe Halliwell, together with their half-sister Paige Matthews burst into their manor. Piper flopped down on the couch.  
"Why can't demons take a Sunday off? I mean, it's a Sunday, for goodness sake!" Piper complained.  
Phoebe sat down beside her. "Demons just don't know when to have fun. No, wait. This is their definition of fun."  
Paige headed for the kitchen. "Anyone up for coffee?"  
"Yes, please," Piper and Phoebe chorused.  
"Fine."  
"Do you have any idea how hard it is, managing a club, a son and fighting demons at the same time?" Piper continued.  
"Believe me, it's as hard as trying to shrug off your ex-husband- turned-demon," Phoebe replied.  
Just then, a loud crying sound was heard. Piper threw her hands up in the air in frustration.  
"I thought I told Leo to look after him! Leo!" Piper hollered, getting up and heading for Wyatt's room.  
Paige re-entered the room holding a tray with three steaming mugs of coffee. She stopped. "Where's Piper?"  
"Didn't you hear Wyatt?" Phoebe asked, taking a mug from Paige.  
"Oh." Paige set the tray down and took Piper's place. "I thought Leo was looking after him."  
A knock was heard at the door. Piper came down, holding Wyatt in her arms, trying to get him to stop crying. "Is anyone going to get it, or am I stuck going?"  
Phoebe set down her coffee and went to answer the door. She opened it with a fake smile on her face, which faded as she saw Prue. Or someone resembling Prue.  
The girl looked about 16. She had long black hair and green eyes. The resemblance between her and Prue was so great, that if the two stood together side by side it would have been hard to identify the real Prue.  
"Who is it?"  
Phoebe looked behind her shoulder to see her sisters.  
"Oh my God," Piper breathed.  
"Who are you? You.look.um, never mind. Who are you?" Paige asked.  
"Um, hi, uh, I'm Pauline. Prue's daughter."  
Paige's coffee mug slipped from her hand and broke, spilling coffee on the floor. 


	2. Talking to Pauline

Disclaimer: The only character I own is Pauline.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Piper's jaw dropped. "Prue had a daughter?!"  
Pauline shifted uncomfortably. "Um, yeah. Guess you guys didn't know, huh?" She tugged on the hem of her black button-down top out of habit.  
"Well, if you're Prue's daughter, then, uh, come in." Phoebe stepped aside to let her niece pass in. "Oh, and ignore the mess on the floor."  
Pauline smiled nervously and walked in.  
"How old are you?" Paige asked, still in shock.  
"16," she replied. "Um, is that Wyatt?" she asked Piper.  
"How'd you know?" Piper stepped aside and narrowed her eyes.  
"Leo."  
"Leo!" Piper hollered.  
A blue light later Leo orbed in. "Hey. What's-?" He trailed off as he saw Pauline. "Oh, hey, honey. Guess you found your way home?"  
Pauline nodded. Piper looked from her husband to her niece.  
"You knew?"  
Leo shrugged slightly. "She.she was a charge of mine. How could I not know?"  
"How could you not tell us?" Paige said, shocked.  
"The Elders wanted you guys to find out for yourselves!"  
"What powers do you have?"  
That was Piper again.  
"Piper, you could at least leave the questions for later. Like when she's ready," Phoebe said, looking directly at her older sister.  
"Sheesh. Sorry."  
Piper turned and went into the house, singing a soft lullaby to Wyatt.  
"Piper." Leo went after her, leaving Pauline with Phoebe and Paige.  
"So. Have a seat," Paige said. But there was a tinge of ice in her voice.  
Pauline sat down on the couch and looked at her two aunts. "So. I.I guess I'm not really welcome here?"  
"Oh, no. Of course not! Paige is just.a little stressed out. I mean, we just returned from demon-fighting. Right, Paige?" Phoebe looked pointedly at her half-sister.  
Paige rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right."  
Pauline sighed. "I shouldn't have come here. Leo shouldn't have asked me to," she murmured.  
"Leo asked you to?" Paige sat down beside her.  
The younger girl nodded.  
"How long have you known him?" Phoebe asked, sitting down on her niece's other side.  
"A couple of years. He was the one who told me about my powers. And about you guys. And about Mom. The.the truth. Not what Gran and Gramps had told me. Uh, my paternal grandparents," she added, looking at her aunts' confused faces. "So, um, can I call you guys my aunts now?"  
Phoebe smiled. "Who says you couldn't?"  
Paige sat quiet, lost in thought.  
Pauline giggled. "Yeah, you've got a niece and a nephew. Maybe two.or three.."  
"Huh? How'd you know I was thinking that?"  
"Oh, um," a pink tinge crept up Pauline's face. "Telepathy."  
A scream was heard from Piper's room, followed by a loud cry. "You could have at least told us, you know!"  
"Piper, please! I can't break the rules, you know!"  
"Yeah, well, you did once!"  
Phoebe sighed. "Leave them alone. They'll settle things out. Sooner or later." 


	3. Screams

Disclaimer: I only own Pauline.hmm.haven't I mentioned that somewhere??  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Once Phoebe, Paige and Pauline had started talking, so had Leo and Piper. Only their conversation was more of a.an argument.  
  
"How long have you known about Pauline?" Piper demanded, after she had put her one-year-old son to sleep.  
  
"Well, um.since she was born wouldn't be a good answer, would it?" Leo replied.  
  
"Since she was BORN?! And even then you never told us about her?!"  
  
"Well, the Elders-"  
  
"The Elders this, the Elders that. For once, Leo, for once, can't you just do things on what you think is right?"  
  
"Even if it means breaking the rules? Then I don't think I can," Leo replied, his voice quiet.  
  
"Oh, like you haven't broken the rules once?" Piper hissed.  
  
"Piper."  
  
"Oh, don't 'Piper' me."  
  
"Piper, if you three had known, then.well, you would've wanted to see her right away. And that wasn't possible. Her father died in a car crash of some sort and her mother had to fight demons. We had no choice but to let Pauline live with her grandparents-her paternal ones, anyway."  
  
"Why couldn't you have sent her to stay here, with us?" Piper replied, her voice almost a scream.  
  
"Piper, please! I couldn't risk getting her killed by some demon. Try and understand!" Leo yelled back.  
  
"Understand?! You expect me to understand why you kept my niece away from me for 16 years?!"  
  
"If I had brought her here-" Leo was cut off by Piper.  
  
"Then she would have grown up knowing she was a witch instead of living a lie!" Piper said, trying to keep her voice down as Wyatt woke up and started crying again.  
  
She walked over to her son and sang a soft lullaby.  
  
If either White lighter or witch had glanced towards the door, they would have seen Pauline. She turned away and started walking down, back into the living room. 'Maybe it'll be better if I just.leave,' she thought. 


	4. Leaving?

Disclaimer: I do not own Piper, Phoebe, Leo and Paige. But, here's the good news: I own Pauline!  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Pauline came down the stairs quietly, holding the tears back. She came to the couch and picked up her bag, ignoring the stares of her two aunts.  
  
"Whoa. Just where do you think you're going?" Phoebe asked.  
  
Pauline shrugged. "I don't really know. Maybe I'll find a cheap hotel somewhere. If not, maybe the streets."  
  
Paige got up. "Why? I mean, what's wrong with here?"  
  
"Was it Piper? We all heard her. She didn't really mean anything she said; she was just shocked. That's all. Come on, you can't leave! Not after 16 years of-of-of not being here," Phoebe said.  
  
Pauline smiled sadly. "I-it's alright. I-I might not fit in."  
  
"Oh, of course you'll fit in," Paige replied.  
  
"Uh, uh..." Pauline stammered, trying to think up an excuse for leaving. In the end, she decided to spill.  
  
"Piper, she-I don't think she wants me around. I mean, you guys heard her!"  
  
Phoebe walked over and squeezed her niece's shoulders. "Oh, honey, she's just, well, afraid, I guess, that you're gonna replace Prue."  
  
Pauline's eyes widened. "No way! I mean, she was my mother, for goodness sake. Why would I want to replace her? I could find my own place here, in this family."  
  
"Exactly," said Paige. "Now do you understand why we want you to stay?"  
  
Pauline nodded slowly. "I guess...it's because...so that I can find my own place without replacing Mom."  
  
Piper came down, her face grim. "Pauline, you have to leave." 


	5. Staying?

Disclaimer: I only own Pauline and not the other characters.  
  
A/N: To DestinysFate: I am so sorry I never explained this to you before!!! Prue died two or three seasons ago and she never had a daughter. If you need any more clarification, then email me at abbey_keyes@hotmail.com  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"I told you to leave," Piper repeated.  
  
"Piper-" Phoebe started, but Piper held up her hand.  
  
Leo came running down the stairs. He stopped when he saw the four witches.  
  
"Piper didn't just...?" he trailed off.  
  
"Yup. She did," Paige replied.  
  
Pauline looked from Paige to Phoebe and then to Leo. Tears stung her green eyes. "Bye."  
  
With that, she turned and stopped. The door opened. She walked out, wiping away tears.  
  
"Whoa. Freeze. What did you just do?" Piper asked, placing her hands on her hips.  
  
"Telekinesis," Pauline said over her shoulder, not turning.  
  
'Telekinesis was Prue's powers,' Piper thought.  
  
"Yeah," Pauline said, turning to face her aunt. "It's mine now."  
  
Piper frowned. "How did you know what I was thinking?"  
  
"Gee, didn't I mention that? Telepathy, Aunt Piper," she replied. "Aunt Piper, you just have to let me stay. I mean, I-I could help you guys."  
  
"She could," Leo said. Piper glared at him. "Sorry."  
  
Piper sighed. "Maybe you could. I'll let you stay till the next demon we vanquish is gone with your help."  
  
Pauline dropped her bag and ran to give Piper a huge hug.  
  
"Oh, thank you thank you thank you, Aunt Piper!"  
  
"You can, um, let go of me whenever you please," Piper said, smiling. 


	6. Person From The Past

Disclaimer: I only own Pauline and not the other characters. James is just some name I made up.  
  
Chapter 6  
  
The next day, Pauline woke up in her mother's old room, which had been untouched since Prue died. She slipped out of bed and went over to open the window, letting a soft breeze in.  
  
"They could've at least left the windows open," she grumbled, leaning out slightly.  
  
"Who, us?" asked a voice.  
  
Pauline drew her head back in and turned to see Piper leaning against the doorway, her arms folded across her chest.  
  
"Um, yeah, actually," Pauline stuttered.  
  
Piper gave a small smile. "Neither me nor Phoebe wanted to come in anymore, and we never let Paige come in either. It.it holds too many memories. Now get dressed and come down for breakfast."  
  
Saying that, Piper turned and walked down, back to the kitchen, leaving Pauline to get ready.  
  
A few minutes later, Pauline headed down to the kitchen, wearing a blue halter and black jeans. Her hair was in a tight ponytail.  
  
"Hey everyone! Who made waffles?" she asked as the smell of waffles drifted up the stairs and she entered the kitchen.  
  
"Our cook," Paige said. "Ow! I meant, Piper," she added as Phoebe kicked her under the table.  
  
Piper turned and placed a hand on her hip. "Oh, so now I'm your cook?"  
  
Paige grinned. "Haven't you always been?"  
  
Piper rolled her eyes at her half-sister as she turned back to make more waffles.  
  
Pauline sat down beside Paige, stifling a giggle.  
  
"So. Had a good night?" Phoebe asked.  
  
Pauline hesitated. It hadn't been a 'good night', since she had had dreams of her mother's past, but she didn't say so. She put on a fake smile. "It was wonderful. Compared to back home."  
  
"Really?" Piper asked, raising an eyebrow as she set fresh waffles down on the table in front of Pauline. Her other two aunts had already started without her.  
  
"Y-Yeah."  
  
"If you say so." Piper sat down and looked around. She took a sip of coffee from a mug she had in front of her.  
  
"Um, aren't you eating, Aunt Piper?"  
  
"I'll be fine. So anyway, what are-"  
  
Piper was cut off by a loud crash coming from the hall.  
  
"What was that?" Pauline asked.  
  
Her aunts had jumped up and were running towards the sound. Pauline followed.  
  
Her eyes grew wide as she saw her ex-boyfriend, James.  
  
"J-J-James?" she stammered.  
  
James turned and grinned at her, but the grin had some evil in it somehow. He threw a fireball at her, but she seemed paralysed.  
  
"Pauline, get out of the way!" Piper screamed. But Pauline couldn't move.  
  
Piper threw her hands up, freezing the fireball. Turning, she blew James up with a mere gesture of her hands.  
  
"This isn't the last you'll see of me, Pauline!" he screamed seconds before he blew up. 


	7. Paralysed

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters.  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Piper walked over to Pauline and shook her by the shoulders. "Pauline, what happened?"  
  
Pauline blinked, as though waking up from a dream. "What?"  
  
"Who was that?" Piper asked.  
  
"I-I don't know," she lied.  
  
"Yeah, right. How else would he know your name?" Piper released her niece and placed her hands on her hips.  
  
Pauline slumped down to the ground.  
  
"Demonic ex-lover?" Phoebe asked, shrugging.  
  
"Yeah. How'd you-?" Pauline looked up at her aunt.  
  
"I've had experience with someone like that," she replied, thinking of Cole.  
  
"So. Did you know he was a demon?" Paige asked.  
  
Pauline stood up and leant back against the wall. "No. Maybe he became evil after I dumped him."  
  
"You dumped him. Why?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"He-he was too.demanding. I couldn't put up with it any longer, you know. I doubt you could handle a demanding ex-lover-turned-demon."  
  
"Well, we tried," Phoebe said quietly.  
  
"Come on," Piper said, leading Pauline back into the kitchen. "Tell me why you just-just froze when you saw him."  
  
Pauline sighed, sitting down on a chair. "When I saw him again, I-I felt as though I was in another world. A perfect world. Where I had both my parents and James and I were together. Then I felt like I had been taken away from the life I led. As though he wanted me to believe that it really was going on."  
  
"Wow. Cole never made me feel that way, and I am glad for it," Phoebe said, taking a bite out of her unfinished waffles.  
  
"Pheebs, Cole was hell bent on getting you back. He wouldn't try to kill you or hurt you in any way. He loved you too much to let go," Piper said.  
  
"So anyway, guys," Paige said before her sisters started an argument, "should we hit the Book to find out more about demonic ex-lovers bent on vengeance?"  
  
Pauline was up before anyone could object.  
  
"Wait up!" the three sisters chorused. 


	8. Vengeance Demon

Disclaimer: I only own Pauline, who is an rp character.  
  
Chapter 8  
  
By the time the three older witches got to the attic, Pauline had the Book of Shadows open in front of her and was reading about Vengeance Demons. She glanced up as they entered.  
  
"I think James might have gone to"- she looked down and read from the Book- "this demon named Jeanne, who supposedly got dumped by her longtime crush who went out with her for a while. Apparently she thought it would work out between the two of them. She was also said to have magical powers. So when she got dumped she turned to the dark side to get revenge on him."  
  
She stopped for a breath and looked up.  
  
"What does that have to do with James?" Piper asked, arching an eyebrow.  
  
"Well, my guess is that James went over to her. It also says here in the Book that she recruits people who got dumped and want revenge on their ex-lovers. She gives them powers of their own. The only way to get Jeanne's recruits to return to their former selves-they act totally unnatural upon receiving their powers-is to kill Jeanne. Or until they finally get vengeance on their ex-lovers."  
  
"Does it say how to vanquish Jeanne?" Phoebe asked, walking over to where Pauline was sitting on the floor. Piper and Paige followed her.  
  
Pauline shook her head. "Nope. No spell, no potion, nothing is mentioned. But there has to be someway . . . right?"  
  
The three witches looked at each other. "We-ell, I guess we could make a potion. And Phoebe can write a spell. Right, Pheebs?" Piper asked.  
  
"Um, yeah. I-I could. I'll start right now." With that, she got a piece of paper and a pen and walked down to the living room, thinking.  
  
"I'll go make the potion." Piper turned and went into the kitchen.  
  
"What about me?" Paige and Pauline asked together. They glanced at each other.  
  
Piper stopped at the head of the stairs and turned to face the two younger witches. "Oh, well, I suppose you guys could scry for Jeanne's hideout."  
  
Paige held out her hand. "Crystal."  
  
A blue light later, the crystal appeared on her hand.  
  
"Let me get the map," Pauline said. She focused on the map, and a minute later the map flew over to where Pauline and Paige sat.  
  
"Telekinesis. Cool," Paige said with approval.  
  
Pauline grinned. 


End file.
